Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ for PTSD: investigating the synergistic effects of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy
European journal of psychotraumatology November 4, 2025 Michele Topel, Donald S. Ciccone 2 citations
Combining low-dose sublingual ketamine with EMDR therapy significantly reduced PTSD symptom severity and functional impairment in eight clients. After four sessions of Ketamine Assisted EMDR Therapy™ (KA-EMDR), PTSD symptom scores dropped from an average of 15.50 to 9.88, and functional impairment scores fell from 8.50 to 5.25. Clients reported less fear, greater self-compassion and emotional clarity, and minimal adverse effects. The approach may enhance adaptive memory reconsolidation by improving access to traumatic memories while reducing hyperarousal. Larger controlled trials are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.